Suppress Blank Lines in a mail merge

Anonymous
2010-09-17T14:37:31+00:00

Using Word 2007, I am creating a mail merge. Some addresses have one line, some have two (Suite number, etc.) I want to suppress the second address field only if it is blank, so there are no blank lines in the document after I perform the merge. In older versions of Word, I remember a check box for "suppress blank fields" but I can't seem to find that in 2007.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Suzanne S Barnhill 279.4K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
2010-09-17T14:59:46+00:00

In general, blank lines are automatically suppressed, but only if they end in a paragraph break, not a line break. Consequently, the default is not a solution for me and perhaps not for you, either. So you have to use an IF field. Assuming your two address lines are the merge fields Address1 and Address2, you'd have something like this.

{ MERGEFIELD Address1 }<line break>

{ IF { MERGEFIELD Address2 } = "" "" "{MERGEFIELD ADDRESS2}<line break>" }

The way that will actually appear in your document is:

{ MERGEFIELD Address1 }

{ IF { MERGEFIELD Address2 } = "" "" "{MERGEFIELD ADDRESS2}

" }

By putting the line break inside the FalseText quotes, you ensure that thereis a line break only if the line contains text; otherwise, there will be no line.

Was this answer helpful?

10+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments

49 additional answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Paul Edstein 82,871 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2017-12-21T04:15:13+00:00

    The suppression of blank lines is 'on' by default. If you have lines that are not being suppressed, that's because of a faulty implementation (i.e. you've changed the setting or you have something else that can't be suppressed on the same lines). Adding the mailmerge helper to the QAT will allow you to check/alter the suppression state.

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2016-09-22T18:30:46+00:00

    HERE IS HOW YOU DO IT .... in 2010

    It's amazing some of you "masters of the program" missed this one...

    1. Right Click the code that represents the field that you want to collapse when blank
    2. Click "Edit Field"
    3. Click "Field Codes"

    4 Click "Options"

    1. Click "Field Specific Switches" tab

    6 Click " \F"

    1. Click OK then OK

    Proceed with the rest of the mail merge process....

    www.brightinsight.com

    This is the one that worked for me in Office 2016. Except you need to click "Add Code" between steps 6 & 7, and be sure your merge field lines are followed by hard returns, not soft ones.

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2015-10-11T18:35:00+00:00

    Your solution was perfect for MS Word 2010. Thank you!

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2010-09-17T15:13:13+00:00

    Ahh yes, in improving the function, they made it harder. :-)

    Thanks for the tip...this will help. I'm actually building a church directory, where some families have no children, and others have several. I'm using Excel for the data, and Word for the layout, so this will come in handy.

    Thanks again,

    Michael

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments